Inkjet printhead assembly having very high drop rate generation

Abstract

An inkjet printhead assembly includes at least one inkjet printhead including N primitives and an address having M possible address values. Each primitive includes a group of at most M drop generators. The address is cycled through all M address values to control a sequence of which one drop generator in the primitive is fired at a given time. One drop generator in the primitive can be fired simultaneously with one drop generator in each of the other primitives. A primitive to address ratio (N/M) of the printhead is at least 10 to 1.

1. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of primitives each comprising a group of drop generators, each primitive coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein signals are provided on the plurality of address leads so that one drop generator in a primitive ejects ink at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of primitives is at least ten times greater then a number of the plurality of address leads;  
 wherein each drop generator includes a firing resistor having a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms.  
 
     
     
       2. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of primitives each comprising a group of drop generators, each primitive coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein signals are provided on the plurality of address leads so that one drop generator in a primitive ejects ink at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of primitives is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads, and further comprising:  
 a substrate having a first ink feed slot formed in the substrate, wherein the first ink feed slot has a first side and second side along a length of the first ink feed slot;  
 wherein a first column of drop generators is formed along the first side of the first ink feed slot;  
 wherein a second column of drop generators is formed along the second side of the first ink feed slot;  
 a second ink feed slot formed in the substrate, wherein the second ink feed slot has a first side and second side along a length of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein a third column of drop generators is formed along the first side of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein a fourth column of drop generators is formed along the second side of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein each drop generator includes a nozzle, and nozzles within each column of drop generators have a vertical pitch of at least approximately 600 nozzles per inch; and  
 wherein nozzles within the first and second columns of drop generators are vertically offset from nozzles within the third and fourth columns of drop generators by approximately 1/2400 inch.  
 
     
     
       3. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of primitives each comprising a group of drop generators, each primitive coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein signals are provided on the plurality of address leads so that one drop generator in a primitive ejects ink at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of primitives is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads;  
 wherein each drop generator includes a firing resistor, and wherein a total scan axis stagger from an innermost firing resistor in each column of drop generators to an outermost firing resistor in each column of drop generators is approximately 19.4 micrometers.  
 
     
     
       4. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of primitives each comprising a group of drop generators, each primitive coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein signals are provided on the plurality of address leads so that one drop generator in a primitive ejects ink at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of primitives is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads wherein each drop generator comprises a firing resistor, the ink jet printhead further comprising:  
 an internal power supply path;  
 a power regulator providing an offset voltage from a voltage of the internal power supply path voltage;  
 wherein each primitive includes a corresponding group of switches controllable to couple a selected firing resistor between the internal power supply path and the offset voltage to thereby permit electrical current to pass through the selected firing resistor.  
 
     
     
       5. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of groups of resistors, each group coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein the plurality of address leads provide signals so that one resistor in each group of resistors conducts current at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of groups is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads;  
 wherein each resistor has a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms.  
 
     
     
       6. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of groups of resistors, each group coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein the plurality of address leads provide signals so that one resistor in each group of resistors conducts current at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of groups is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads, further comprising:  
 a substrate having a first ink feed slot formed in the substrate, wherein the first ink feed slot has a first side and second side along a length of the first ink feed slot;  
 wherein a first column of resistors is formed along the first side of the first ink feed slot;  
 wherein a second column of resistors is formed along the second side of the first ink feed slot;  
 a second ink feed slot formed in the substrate, wherein the second ink feed slot has a first side and second side along a length of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein a third column of resistors is formed along the first side of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein a fourth column of resistors is formed along the second side of the second ink feed slot;  
 wherein each resistor is utilized to eject ink from a corresponding nozzle, and nozzles corresponding to each column of resistors have a vertical pitch of at least approximately 600 nozzles per inch; and  
 wherein nozzles corresponding to the first and second columns of resistors are vertically offset from nozzles corresponding to the third and fourth columns of drop generators by approximately 1/2400 inch.  
 
     
     
       7. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of groups of resistors, each group coupled to at least some of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein the plurality of address leads provide signals so that one resistor in each group of resistors conducts current at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of groups is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads, further comprising: 
 an internal power supply path;  
 a power regulator providing an offset voltage from a voltage of the internal power supply path voltage;  
 
 wherein each group includes a corresponding group of switches controllable to couple a resistor between the internal power supply path and the offset voltage to thereby permit electrical current to pass through the selected resistor.  
 
     
     
       8. An inkjet printhead assembly comprising:
 at least one printhead, each printhead including:  
 an address having M possible address values; end  
 N primitives, each primitive including:  
 a group of at most M drop generators, wherein the address is cycled through all M address Values to control a sequence of which one drop generator in the primitive is fired at a given time, wherein one drop generator in the primitive can be fired simultaneously with one drop generator in each of the other primitives, wherein a primitive to address ratio (N/M) of the printhead is at least 10 to 1, wherein each drop generator includes a firing resistor having a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms.  
 
     
     
       9. An inkjet assembly comprising:
 at least one printhead, wherein each printhead has an operating voltage of at least approximately 30 volts, each printhead including:  
 an address having M possible address values; and  
 N primitives, each primitive including:  
 a group of at most M drop generators, wherein the address is cycled through all M address values to control a sequence of which one drop generator in the primitive is fired at a given time, wherein one drop generator in the primitive can be fired simultaneously with one drop generator in each of the other primitives, wherein a primitive to address ratio (N/M) of the printhead is at least 10 to 1, wherein each drop generator includes a firing resistor having a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms.  
 
     
     
       10. An inkjet assembly comprising:
 at least one printhead, each printhead including:  
 an internal power supply path;  
 a power regulator providing an offset voltage from the internal power supply path voltage;  
 N primitives, each primitive including:  
 a group of at most M drop generators, wherein the address is cycled through all M address values to control a sequence of which one drop generator if the primitive is fired at a given time, wherein one drop generator in the primitive can be fired simultaneously with one drop generator in each of the other primitives, wherein a primitive to address ratio (N/M) of the printhead is at least 10 to 1, wherein each drop generator includes a firing resistor having a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms; and  
 a corresponding group of switches controllable to couple a selected firing resistor between the internal power supply path and the offset voltage to thereby permit electrical current to pass through the selected firing resistor to cause a corresponding selected drop generator to fire.  
 
     
     
       11. An inkjet printhead comprising:
 a plurality of address leads;  
 at least one data lead; and  
 a plurality of groups of resistors, each group coupled to at least two of the plurality of address leads and the at least one data lead, wherein the at least two of address leads provide signals so that one resistor in a group of resistors conducts current at a time,  
 wherein a number of the plurality of groups is at least ten times greater than a number of the plurality of address leads;  
 wherein each resistor has a resistance value in a range from approximately 800 ohms to approximately 1000 ohms.